Labour Ministry vows to help workers

A group of garment workers yesterday rallied outside the Labour Ministry to voice their concern about a recent termination of contracts which saw more than 1,900 of them without jobs.

Protest leader, Bunrod Saiwong, who represented the workers from an underwear factory, said Labour Minister Paitoon Kaewthong promised to negotiate with their employers once he returned from an overseas trip on Monday. Ministry officials met with them and promised to convey their message to Paitoon, before the group dispersed.

She said around 1,000 workers wanted to continue working with Triumph; but if the production facility went ahead with a planned relocatation to Nakhon Sawan, those who wished to resign should get full and immediate compensation. Bunrod also said the workers wanted to see arrest warrants for three protest leaders - on charges of causing public disturbance - revoked,.

Another group of garment workers - from World Well Garment - later gathered outside the ministry. They demanded the ministry negotiate with their employers to revoke trespassing charges against 37 workers who refused to allow removal of machinery from the facility. They also wanted a civil lawsuit, demanding Bt1 million from them for staging a rally at the factory, withdrawn.

The workers also wanted management to immediately pay a total of Bt2.3 million to those terminated.